Flashbacks
by Ruby Charles
Summary: A follow up to Nov. 15's show Ariel. Jayne has flashbacks, Inara fails her test. Please review and more story will come. And by the way I don't own any of the Firefly characters, i only own Sister Mary and Jam, so don't sue me.
1. Life's Little Mishaps

Flashbacks ********************************* "Aren't you gonna let me in?" Jayne pleaded as the captain walked up and away, leaving him in the hanger cut off from the crew.  
  
I will, the captain thought to himself. He was amazed at how harsh he had just treated Jayne, but it had to be done. He had nearly killed Jayne. Probably should've, he knew he couldn't live with it though. He needed Jayne any way. Yes he was a mercinary but a damn good soldier also. He'd just leave him in there and give him time to think about what he did. Hopefully it would change him. Hopefully.  
  
"Captain?" Jayne said still pleading on the brink of whimpering, "Captain!?! Well, he ain't comin back."  
  
Jayne sat back figuring it'd be a long wait to get out of here. He tried to rest but couldn't. Something deep inside him kept nagging him. He couldn't shake it off. "What the hell is wrong with me?" He tried to pass the time, tried not to think about the thing that turned his stomach. He knew what was wrong with him he just didn't want to face it. *********************************  
  
"We have at least 100 thousand credits here," Zoe said. Zoe and Wash looked at the loot they stole from the hospital.  
  
"It's amazing you and Mal got away with all this. Do you know what this means Zoe? We're rich!" Wash proclaimed.  
  
"Don't go cheering to early," Mal explained as he walked in. "Everyone gets a share but most will go to ship repairs and to buy more meds for Book and the Doc. Book is still recovering and Doc says he needs some medicene just incase we have any 'accidents' around here. Also Doc thinks he figured out something to help River. Says that will cost a small fortune. The both of you combined will get at least 5,000. It's a lot but you ain't rich by any means."  
  
"Oh. Well, then it's still a boatload of money compared to normal payouts," Wash said.  
  
"Yup, it is" Zoe stated. Her husband walked out of the room sulkingly and she followed.  
  
There you go again smart one. Mal said to himself. What has gotten into you. Stop being so harsh. Maybe Book could help with my problem. Hopefully he's healthy enough so I can see him. *********************************  
  
Kay-Lee sat with her friend Inara. Kay-Lee was switching some plugs as Inara watched on. Kay-Lee was the first to say something. "So how was your check-up?"  
  
"As I told the captain it was a bunch of needles, tests, and cold bare medical tables." Inara explained.  
  
"I'm not the captain though," Kay-Lee was trying to look around Inara's mental shield and see what really happened, "I'm your friend, you could tell me anything."  
  
"I know," Inara was fumbling around with thoughts in her head about how to explain what happened down there, "I failed the test."  
  
"What? You failed, what happens now?"  
  
"I have to either forfiet my companion license or retake the test. I will probably retake the test but it doesn't look good. I could have Doc do it but I really don't want him to see what he needs to see when he does the testing procedure. I guess I have to though, theres no other choice."  
  
"You could stop being a companion, I mean I don't see what it's worth hanging on to"  
  
"I have my reasons. I'm gonna go see Doc, maybe he'll do the test for me."  
  
"I'll be here if you need me," Kay-Lee said. POOF! A black cloud of smoke engulfed her face. " I guess that doesn't belong there." *********************************  
  
Hopefully you like what you read. Please review and I will come back with more chapters later. Belive it gets better.  
  
Ruby Charles 


	2. Times Never Change

Flashbacks  
  
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Jayne sat there waiting to be let in. It had to have been hours he thought to himself. He had just tried about everything to pass the time. Nothing worked. "Fine," he said to no one. Then getting up and looking out the window he yelled to the sky, "FINE!"  
  
He sat back down and murmured something to himself. He looked inside him. Looked to see what was wrong with him. "Are you that cheap?" Jayne yelled, "How could you've sold Simon and River out like that!" Then with Jayne saying that he thought back to his childhood.  
  
How would Mary think of that. Would she of said, "Go ahead give them to your worst enemy for some filthy credits?" No, she wouldn't. Are you that fuckin cheap? He looked back at his life at the orphanage with Sister Mary.  
  
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"Who threw up all over the clothes I just watched?!?" Jam the angry Janitor of the Orphanage of New Mass.  
  
"Don't get so exited Jam," said Sister Mary head of the Orphanage softly, "You can just wash them."  
  
"I JUS DID WASH EM', I'M GONNA KILL WHO EVA DID THAT!" said Jam angrily as he held up a white bedsheet with red muck all over it.  
  
"JAM! Don't speak a word of killing in this orphanage ever again!" Mary exclaimed while Jam spoke his hushed apologies. The children, hearing all the yelling, walked out of thier bedrooms. "Children go back to sleep this is no conversation for you...."  
  
"Why yes it is! They did this so it involves them fully!" said Jam, "Who did this?" He said to the children whom were half-asleep. After no answers he thought up a plan to get his answer. "Fine then," children are greedy aren't they, Jam thought to himself, "i'll pay the person who tells me who did this 5 platoons" He reached into his pocket and pulled out some money he had found on the street that day and showed to the kids. Now the kids whom were wide awake started looking at the money like it was water to a man in the desert of Texas.  
  
"Jam! You shouldn't teach the kids the sin of bribing. Children go back to bed."  
  
The children hearing the Sister's words started shuffling back into thier rooms.  
  
(2 hours later)  
  
The door to room 3 opened with a slight squeak. A skinny blond haired boy walked out on his tiptoes. He was shorter than all the children in the orphanage and he was the meanest too. He was always gettin into trouble. Always trying to find the easy way out. Now about to get in some more.  
  
He went on down to the janitors room. Trying to be queiter than he ever had before he slowly stalked down the long hallway. It seemed to take forever to him, but he had to be cautious. He was extra careful when he came to room 7. It was the Sister's room. He looked at the clock, it was 13:47. I'm fine he thought to himself. The sister is probably asleep. Noticing this he walked a little faster and less careful down to room 15. The janitors room. When he got there he felt a rush of relief, but the job wasn't over yet he thought to himself.  
  
He slowly opened the door, walked in, and checked to see where the janitors bed was. He went and tapped the janitor on the shoulder. Thankfully the janitor wasn't fully asleep.  
  
"Oh Jayne it's only you," Jam said  
  
"Ssssh, we don't want to wake Sister, I know who did it. It was....." Jayne slyly said  
  
"Who? Who was it?" Jam proclaimed  
  
"Where's the money?"  
  
"Oh fine," Jam got up ,went to his dresser and got the 5 platoons and handed them to Jayne, "There, now who made that darn mess all ova my clean sheets?!?"  
  
"Sssshhhh!!! It was Bobby, you know Bobby the Booby. He did it. He was sick after he ate the lunch today."  
  
"Well then, thank ye Jayne. And jus between you and meh, that lunch could've made anyone sick. Ha, hahaha, I crack meself up sometimes, now you go back te bed. I'll deal wit Bobby temorrow."  
  
With that Jayne went out of room 15 and down to his room eyeing his prize the whole way. He nearly walked into Sister Mary before he noticed her.  
  
"Jayne? Is that you?" Mary asked  
  
"Yes Sister," knowing he'd been caught walked into her office.  
  
"Jayne I can't believe you sold out your friend for money. I'll have to teach you some manners boy!"  
  
With that he was whipped. Jayne promised that day he would never again sell out anyone in his life. Never again.  
  
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"Jayne, Jayne?" Captin Malcolm Reynolds of the Serenity called out to his crew member.  
  
"Yes," said Jayne as if stepping out of a trance.  
  
"C'mon supper time," he opened up the hatch door. Hopefully he thought a little. Maybe he'll change, thought the captin to himself.  
  
Jayne was also doing some thinking. As he walked up the stairs he imagined what Sister Mary would've said after knowing what he did to Simon and River. "Times never change do they Jayne, times never change."  
  
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Ruby Charles 


	3. 5 Minutes Until

Flashbacks  
  
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"Simon? Simon are you in here?" asked Inara as she walked into the infirmary.  
  
"Yes, Is that you Inara?" said Simon walking out of a side room, "Sorry I was just doing some testing on River. She's getting a lot better thankfully, that new medicene is working very well."  
  
"Oh that's wonderful. Soon she'll be normal again," said Inara. She wished those words didn't come out of her mouth right after she said them. A lot was on her mind and for the firat time she started talking before she thought about what she was going to say.  
  
"She is normal," said Simon angrily, "They did this to her mind, but she is normal by any means possible. If it wasn't for those damn Alliance workers at that camp she'd be fine!"  
  
"I'm sorry Simon, I didn't mean anyt..." She was cut off abrutbly by a steaming Simon.  
  
"I know what you meant,now if you excuse me I have to go check-up on Book!"  
  
As he was walking out the Captin walked in and stated that dinner was ready in five. Simon brushed by him before he could ask about Book's conditions. Then he turned to Inara and asked,"What's eating at him?"  
  
"I made him mad with a little comment about River. It came out wrong and I tried to forgive him but he wouldn't listen," answered Inara.  
  
"What you come in here for anyway? You told me you hate check-ups?" Mal asked  
  
"I know," said Inara thinking of something to say," I wanted to check on Book. See how he was doing. So I came to ask Simon. I'll see you at dinner." With that she walked out slyly smiling at her cunning response.  
  
"Okay then," Mal said, but was interrupted by a crash in the next room.  
  
He walked in and saw River running around the makeshift pantry throwing food on the ground and screaming, "TWO BY TWO, HANDS OF BLUE, TWO BY TWO, HANDS OF BLUE." Mal quickly got a hold of her and dragged her down to Book's room where the doctor would hopefully be. Mal was relieved that Book's room was so close to the infirmary because River was putting up a hell of a fight.  
  
"River stop, I'm only taking you to Si..OWWW! Damn kid," Mal screamed as River bit his hand that was holding her mouth closed. "Obviosly you've done this before." Mal was bleeding profusly when they got to Book's room. "SIMON!" he yelled," GET CONTROL OF YOUR SISTER!"  
  
With that Simon ran out and took River. He tried to calm her down with comforting words. It started to work as River calmed down but was still, as if in a trance, saying, "Two by two, hands of blue, they'll never stop chasing until they get you. Two by two, hands of blue."  
  
Mal seeing that it wasn't his buisness walked into Book's room to see how the wound was healing up. Walking into a darkly lit room, he saw Book laying on his bed, looking at the door, trying to crane his neck to see what all the commotion was about. "So Book how are you healing?"  
  
"Good I think, I'm praying that I'll be able to fully use my arm after it's all healed," said Book softly. As he was saying that he grasped the Bible that he had owned for decades, held it up to his chest and started to mumble some kind of prayer.  
  
Mal waited until it looked like he was done and then said, "Well that's nice. I have to go, dinner's ready, want me to bring you down anything?"  
  
"No. Simon got me some food he thinks will make me feel better," Book replied. As Mal was walking out Book sensed something and asked, "Mal, if there is anything wrong you know you can come talk to me. I'm always here."  
  
Hearing this Mal walked out and on to supper. "I'll come down later and talk to Book," he said to himself. He looked to where Simon and River were when he wents into Book's room. Nothing was thier but a bare hallway leading down to the storing area's. They must have gone up to dinner, he thought. I should too.  
  
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Ruby Charles 


	4. Danger Simon Tam Danger

Flashbacks  
  
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"RIVER!!! River where are you?!?!" Dr. Simon Tam yelled. When Mal had given a crazed River to him he tried to calm her down with soothing words. She looked as if she was cooperating, but then she went off it again. He was trying to think what set her off. He was trying to think off what he said to her, maybe that had something to do with it. Right about when he said, "Don't worry River. No one's going to get you. I'll protect you." She split running down the hall screaming her little chant. "TWO BY TWO! HANDS OF BLUE! THEY WON'T STOP COMING UNTILL THEY GET YOU!"  
  
Now he was running down a mysterious, deserted hallway in search of her. Every where he turned there was no trace of her. He knew she was a fast sprinter, but not this fast. He ran looking into every doorway, every crack not unseen to him. It was all dark and dusty. As he ran a cloud of dust formed behind him by his finishing kick. He ran until the hallway stopped. There was a dark, dark room at the end. He looked at the door sign. "Storing capacity 10,000 lbs." Obviously it was an unused storage room. He walked in and whispered, "River? River are you here?" He got no answer. He couldn't even see 10 inches in front of him. He walked a little forward and heard the creak of the floorboards. Again he whispered for River and again got no answer.  
  
As he walked in more it got darker and darker. Simon found it tough to breath, either from the dust inhailtion or his worried mind. The only light he had was from the opening to the hallway. He continued to walk and tripped over some sort of object. He landed with a thud that echoed across the room. He heard another creak. Quickly he felt around along the floor to see what he tripped over. Finally he found it. To his great sorrow his hand went across something very familiar. He told himself it wasn't what he thought it was. He heard yet another creak. It couldn't be. He had been a doctor for too long and his wit overmatched his weak 'couldn't be' theory. His hand felt flesh. He didn't know what for it was too dark, but it was flesh. Another creak, now it was getting closer to him. Moving in. He tried to pull the object up in the light to see what it was, but it was too heavy to lift from the position he was in. He heard a series of creaks in a row. Now he felt along the floorboards the vibration of the thing moving.  
  
It was moving closer, closer, closer. Simon relized his only chance. He whispered, "R....river? I..i...i...s that y..you?" The creaking stopped suddenly. The creaking sound was fast but it was heading away from Simon. The doctor looked at his chance and tried to get in a position to lift the tripping objest into the light. He tried to and nearly had it but then the light disapeared. He looked up and saw a horendous shadow casting down on him. The figure was a foot taller than the regular human and it's chest was huge. The arms were bigger than the body itself, but Simon could tell they were shackled together. That's all he could make out for the door was slammed shut by the monster. Leaving Simon in total darkness.  
  
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Ruby Charles  
  
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(I know the chapter was short but I felt good leaving it there on a major cliffhanger. Don't worry the next chapter will be much longer. MUCH longer. Can I emphasize MUCH any more. Well please review and the new chapter will be up soon.) 


	5. Dinner Or No Supper, That Is The Questio...

Flashbacks  
  
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Mal walked into the crowded little dining room where most of his crew sat. Wash sat at the left head of the rectangular table. Diagonally to his right sat his beautiful wife Zoe. Next to her was an empty seat marking Book's place. To Book's right sat Jayne. At the right head of the table sat Malcolm Reynolds. To his diagonal right were two empty chairs that usually sat Simon and River. After that it was Kaylee and Inara. All were eating and scrumaging around, chatting as they stuffed thier mouths with food. At least most of them did. Inara sat with her best manners showing as she ate. Zoe in her normal elegance sat almost like Inara. And Malcolm just didn't eat at all.  
  
"Did anyone see Simon and River come up here?" Malcolm asked. He heard what he didn't want to. A chorus of 'No's, I don't know, I didn't see them.' He also heard a 'No, are they okay?' from Kaylee and a 'Who cares' from Jayne.  
  
"Oh, I just thought they already came up here. I wonder where they are. Maybe they are just a little side-tracked," Mal said as he sat down. He looked over his food and was about to eat before River walked shakily in.  
  
Mal, Kaylee, Wash, and Zoe stood up and went over to her. Inara soon followed leaving only Jayne there eating up his food and picking at some from other plates. Kaylee held River as she was shaking and looked very pale. She was whispering something and looking around scared.  
  
"Where's Simon?" Mal, Wash, and Zoe asked.  
  
"Ssshhh you guys, can't you see she's in shock," Kaylee replied.  
  
River started talking so everyone could hear. "Simon needs help. Book will try. Death and destruction awaits. Simon help. Help Simon HELP!" She kept saying the same thing over and over again.  
  
"We have to go find Simon, I think he's in trouble," Kaylee worriedly said.  
  
"Fine. Let's go," Mal said as they all rushed down to the infirmary, then to Simon's quarters. They found nothing. " This isn't working, we have to split up. Me Zoe and Wash will head to the pilot bridge, the rest of you go down to the.... I don't know just go somewhere." Mal ordered.  
  
As they ran off Kaylee had an idea. "Maybe something that River says is a clue." They all were quiet as River said, "Simon needs help. Book will try. Death and destruction awaits. Simon help. Help Simon HELP!"  
  
"Let's go see if Book is okay," Jayne said. They all ran down to his quarters to find him not there. He was now on the missing list too. River who wasn't being watched broke free from Kaylee and started running down that long dark dusty hallway no one even saw before. Seeing this Inara, Kaylee, and Jayne all ran after her. Searching each and every room. Not a crack unseen. They still didn't find her  
  
(A.N. Sounds familiar if you read the last chapter)  
  
They looked and they looked. Finally they came up to what it looked like was the end. It was a room with a heavy metal door with a sign that said, 'Storing Capacity 10,000 lbs.'  
  
"Wow, cough cough. This place hasn't been used for years," Inara said.  
  
"I didn't even know it was here," Jayne added.  
  
"I did, I know all the little secrets of this ship. There's more hallways and rooms in this ship that you don't know about than you think. I never come down here cause there is no need to," Kaylee explained.  
  
"Should come more often. Weird thing go on here. Scary things. Bad Things. HELP SIMON HELP SIMON!" River screamed appearing out of nowhere. She started to pound on the door.  
  
"Is Simon in there River?" Kaylee asked.  
  
"Probably, would she be making such a racket if he wasn't Jayne said over River's screams. He opened up the door and a terrible stench let out. As they all stepped back in disgust River ran into the eternal darkness.  
  
"River!" Kaylee yelled as she was about to run after her but was held back by Jayne.  
  
"You don't know what's in there. Hold on let me get a flashlight or complight or something."  
  
"Here use this," Inara said as she reached into her beautiful robed dress and pulled out a complight. Jayne turned it on and wrote in the room description, or what he thought that would be. A complight was a new device that, givin the area, could light up any room. Jayne put in the numbers, pressed on and threw it into the blackness. They all shielded thier eyes as the neon light illuminated the room. They were frightened and amazed at the grotesque sight held before them.  
  
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Ruby Charles  
  
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A.N. Hahahahahaha! Another cliffy. Sry I had to. Well remember when I said that this chapter would be longer. I lied. Believe me the next one will be twice as long as this one. I think. Correction I hope.  
  
Well I WON'T be writing the next chapter unless I get some reviews. I'm tired of writing all this and thinking that people don't read it. I don't care if it's flames just to know that some people out there read my writing. So please REVIEW OR NO 6TH CHAPTER! 


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